Between 31 July and 1 August 2014, a total of 163 new cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD); laboratory-confirmed, probable, and suspect cases) as well as 61 deaths were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

As of 1st August 2014, the cumulative number of cases attributed to EVD in the four countries stands at 1,603 including 887 deaths.

In addition, national authorities in Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo continue to work closely with WHO and it partners in identification of contacts and contact tracing as well as in preparing response plans as a result of the recent visit by and death of a Liberian national to Nigeria from EVD and the new Nigerian EVD probable case, who traveled to Guinea.

Samaritan’s Purse confirmed that that Kent was able to receive a dose of the experimental serum prior to leaving Liberia.

According to a CNN report, the National Institutes of Health contacted Samaritan’s Purse in Liberia and offered the experimental treatment, known as ZMapp, for the two patients, Brantly and nurse Nancy Writebol.

Prior to the current situation,the drug developed by the biotech firm Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., had never been tried before in a human being but had shown promise in small experiments with monkeys.

According to the report, the three-mouse monoclonal antibody prevents the Ebola virus from entering and infecting new cells.